Heat-exchange device



s. 1'. NELSON July 31,1928.' 1,679,134- y HEAT EXCHANGE pnvic y l A `Filed June 2'7.. .1922 A 2 Sheets-She'et l July. 31, 1928. 1,679,134

Filed June 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 31, 1928.

`UmTED STATES SVEN THEODOR NELSON, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PATENToFFIcE.

sULLIVAN y MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

HEAT-EXCHANGE DEVICE.

Application filed- June 27, 1922. Serial No. 571,158.

Y vlees.

an improved heat exchange device. An\

otherv object of my invention isto yprovide improved means for cooling in an improved `manner the air passing from the low pressure to the-high pressure cylinder of amult1- stage compressor. A further object of my invention is to provide an improved intercooler adapted to be manufactured at small expense and one which at the same time makes it possible to maintain a high rate of heat exchange with resultant eiiciency of the compressor. Another object of my invention is to provide improved mountingsl for intercooling means wherein-y air tight jointsare provided and all tendency of the intercooler to become air bound is effectual# ly overcome. These and other objects of my invention will, however, .hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings I have shownfor purposes of illustration one form which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,-

Fig. l is a side elevation .of a compressor, equipped with my improved form of intercooler, the intercooler casing being shown in section to facilitate illustration.

Fig. 2 is a detail end elevation of the. intercooler showing the cooling fluid connections, the cooling elements within the casing being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a partial transverse sectional view of the intercooler showing the cooling elements within the same, one of the elements being broken away to show its reinforcing Fig. 7 is a smaller scale in side elevation ofv one of the heads. l

In the illustrative embodiment of my invention I have shown a compressor `of the invention relates to heat exchange def well known. angle compound type comprisving a suitable frame l'having cylinders 2 sure cylinder 2, the same being shown hereiny as including a suitable casing 8l connected to the low pressure cylinder through an'inletl pipe 9 and to thehigh pressure cylinderby a discharge pipeV 10.

In my improvement it will be observed that the intercooler casing 8v carries within the same a plurality of elongated longitu dinally disposed' cooling elements 1l which I-shall`ter1npans. As shown, each of these elements extends substantially across'. the width of the casing .8 at its. position of supporttherein and is vprovided .with opposite faces eachadapted to provide a large cooling surface. In the illustrated form of my invention. shown herein, these surfaces are shown as flat surfaces although Ythe same may obviously assume other forms. As illustrated, eachof these elements l1 is also substantially rectangular formed with straight flat sides presenting and hollow 1 and angles or corners `at the junctions with the pan faces, the same preferably being formed of sheet metal suitably riveted orotherwise Secured together in such manner as to form a water-tight, rigid, hollow box or unit and then heavily galvanized. In 'a preferred form, in order toresist any tendency of the pressure tocrush these Velements or pans, the same are Valso reinforced withsuitable rivets or bolts l2 somewhat after the manner that ya locomotiveV fire box is reinforced. As

shown, a plurality of these cooling elements 1l is provided, four' of the same being shown in this illustrative form of the invention as 4disposed parallel to one another and superimposed andspaced apart in such a manner as to provide air spaces between their adjacent enlarged cooling surfaces. It will also be seen that as shown in Fig. l, these ele ments are staggered,` the adjacent ends of alternate pans being prefer-ably disposed closely adjacent to or spaced apart from the opposite ends of the intercooler casing in such a manner as to cause the air entering through the intercooler inlet 9 to` pass successively in opposite directions along each pan in traversing the intercooler casing. Thus, it will be observed that when a cooling agent is admitted to the pans, the air to be cooled is caused to flow in a thin sheet over and under each pan in such a manner as to bring it into contact with the surfaces thereof and thus lower the temperature of the air as desired. More specifically, it will be observed 4that the lowermost element 11 has one of its ends abutting against t-he head 13 of the intercooler casingand its opposite end spaced apart from the other head 1-1, while the next element 11 has its opposite ends respective'ly abutting againstthehead 14 of the casing` and spaced apart from the head 13, the remaining elements being disposed in similar arrangement. It will also be noted that the pipe connections 15 are passed through the heads 13 and 1st and threaded into the ends of the elements 11, and that suitable nuts 16 are screwed tightly against eac-h head to cooperate therewith to form an air-tight joint. Thus it will be observed that the several elements 11 are supported by their connections to the hea-ds and that it is possible by simply connecting the ends of adjacent elements by piping connections 17 to obtain a continuous flow of cooling fluid through the several elements. be noted that in addition to the support furnished by the pipe connections, the cool ing elements 11 are each connected to an end strap or support 18 located one at each end of the casing 8, the elements 11 having pins 2O secured thereto at their ends which are received in openings formed in the straps 18. The straps 18 are adapted to support the pans and prevent the same from dropping down into the bottom of t-he intercooler casing when the heads and pipe connections are removed. It will also be noted that these straps or supports 1S lie in slots which are cut through `the, center of the ribs or bosses 19 and at right angles to the said ribs (see F 5 and 7). The said ribs are vertically spaced and formed on the heads 13 and 14, in such manner as to form with supports 18 an abutment extending completely across the easing heads (see Fig. The supports 18 are flush with the inner surfaces of the ribs 19. rlhe ends of the pans 11 abut against these abutments as clearly shown in Fig. 6 so as to preclude leakage of air between the ends of the pans and the said abutments. The ends of the straps 18 are made arcuate and engage the .inner periphery of theA cylindrical casing. ln the preferred manner of mounting the pans, best seen in Fig. 3, they extend from wall to wall of the cylindrical casing 8 and the Contact between each pan It will also and the casing walls is on av line along the sharp angles or corners at the sides of the pans forming a tight joint therewith.

Attention is also directed to the fact that in my improved construction the cooling and 3) so that air `binding is prevented,

the amount of entrapped air being thus minimized due to the fact that the air must be entrapped in thev upper left hand corner of each element and cannot exceed a very small amount without coming into the path of the water flowingV through the adjacent pipe connection and thus being carried off with the water. It should be further noted that owing to my improved construction no ba'ie plates, or other baffling means, are-re'- quired.

In the operation of my improved construction, t will be observed that due to theV staggered relation of the cooling elements 11, the air entering the intercooler from the low pressure cylinder through the pipe 9 is caused to engage with the under surface of the lower element 11 and pass along the same to the opposite end thereof, where it is then free to pass in a reverse direction between the upper surface of that element and the lower surfaceV of the next upper ele? ment. mentioned element, it is again free to pass upward and in an opposite direction between the upper surface of that element and the lower surface of the next upper element, and at the opposite end of that last mentioned element it is again free to pass upward and along in an opposite direction between the top of that element and the bottom of the top element, and after another upward pass flows between the upper surface of the top-most element 11 and the inner `surface of the intercooler casing to the discharge passage 10, through which it passes to the high pressure cylinder. It will also be observed that, due to the construction'of the cooling elements 11, a very large cooling surface is produced, and that, by reason of the shape of the elements, the same cause the air to pass in relatively thin sheets above and below the successive elements in `its travel through the intercooler casing,

thus exposing the air to a very thorough cooling action. It will also be observed that through the provision of these cooling ele- At the opposite' end of this lastV ing in a continuous path from lone coolingunit to the other and in a stream which in its passageengagcs each surface of the six' surfaces oi each element. By disposing the cooling elements at an angle to the horizontal, it will also be observed that any tendency of the pans to become air-bound is cifectually overcome, the air tending to be entrapped being thus forced to keep a position at the upper side of eachelement, and, through the action of the water flowing through the adjacent outlet, being maintained at the desired minimum, any excess air necessarily being carried off in the water. It will further be noted that either head may be removed and the pans will still be supported in their positions and not drop down, since the straps 18 will continue to support the pans. This will avoid the placing of severe strains on the liuid connections at the which the head was removed. So far as construction and manufacturing costs arey concerned, it will also be observed that through my improved construction it is possible to eliminate all necessity for the provision of expensive copper and aluminum tubing and produce an intercooler which may be made with a minimum of labor of ordinary sheet metal. These and other advantages of my improved construction will, however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

lVhile I have in this application speciically described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention is not necessarily limited to embodiment in this form, the same instead being capable of extensive modification without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An intercooler comprising a casing and a plurality of removable flat rectangular cooling fluid containing members arranged in parallel relation and connected in series, said members dividing the interior of said casing into a plurality of parallel spaces, successive spaces being connected at opposite ends, and means including detachable end supports for said cooling members for permitting the removal of said members longitudinally from said casing.

2, An intercooler comprising a casing, a plurality of parallel hollow substantially iiat transversely inclined cooling elements: in

said casing, and means for connecting saidv elements in series including cooling fluid connections arranged adjacent each oi the sides of said elements and connecting each intermediate element at Vone end to an element below it and at its opposite end to an element above it.

, 3. An intercooler comprising a. casing,

superimposed substantially flat and hollow;

cooling elements in said casing, an end of each element abutting an end of said casing to form a substantially tight'joint, said cooling elements being connected inV series, and connections to said elements for the cooling fluid and also forming a support forsaid elements in said casing.

4. An intercooler comprising a casing substantially cylindrical in form, substantially flat hollow cooling elements arranged in said casing in parallel relation and at an angle lto a horizontal plane in which the axis of the casing lies, the edge of said yangle being parallel to said axis, said cooling elements being of less length than the length of Said casing, and alternateelements being disposed adjacent opposite ends of said casing,

and coohng fluid connections arranged between the higher sides of said cooling elements. l

5. An intercooler comprising a casing substantially cylindrical in form, substantially flat hollow cooling elements arranged in said casing in parallel relation and at an angle to a horizontal plane in which the axis of the casing lies, the edge of said angle being parallel to said axis, said cooling elements being of less length lthan the length of said casing, and alternate elements being disposed adjacent the opposite ends of said casing, cooling Huid connections arranged between the higher sides of the ends of adjacent units, and supporting members located atV opposite ends of said casing inside the sameV and adapted to support the coolingunits upon removal of the casing heads.

6. A heat exchange device comprising a casing having heads, a plurality of fluid cooling elements therein dividing the in` terior of said casing into a single torturous passage Jfor the material to be cooled, and means for supporting said elements in said casing whereby said elements may be retainedl in their relative positions upon removal of either head from said casing.

7. A heat exchange device comprising a casing, a heat exchange element, a supporting member therefor' forming a removable part of sai-d casing, and towhich said element is normally secured, land additional means for retaining said element in position operative upon removal of said member.

8. A heat exchange device comprising a casing, a heat exchange element, supporting means therefor forming part of said casing and to which said element is normally secured, additional means for retaining said element in position operative upon removal of said supporting means, and means permitting cooperation het/Ween said retaining means and supporting means to form la. suhst-antialiy 'leakprooi fit at the end'of said 5 ele-ment adjacent said supportingmeans.

9. A heat exchange device comprising a heat exchange element, means associated With said element for temporarily retaining the same in position in a casing during assembling of the'device, and means for permanently supporting said elementhaving parts formed to cooperate With said temporary supporting means.

In testimony whereof I aiiix 'my signature.

SVEN THEODQR NELSON. 

